The Kootenays lost a local music legend in the spring of 2026. Bill Wilson — the shuffle king and drummer extraordinaire — left us on March 27, 2026.
Bill grew up in Arkansas and spent his youth in the South where he was influenced by the music coming out of the region: Blues, Soul, R&B and Southern Rock. One of his favourite drummers was Paul T. Riddle of the Marshall Tucker Band. He was also a fan of the Allman Brothers Band and their two drummers, Butch Trucks and Jaimoe, and when he played an Allman Brothers song he would play the two drummers’ parts simultaneously – something unheard of from most drummers.
Bill relocated to California and soon joined forces with Michael Bloomfield (of Bob Dylan, Butterfield Blues Band and Electric Flag fame) and played many gigs with Michael in the Bay area where Bloomfield resided at the time.
In 1981, he and his girlfriend Glenice moved to Canada, got married and settled in Lemon Creek in the Slocan Valley where they lived for many years. Bill was a drum instructor at David Thompson University (DTUC) in Nelson for a while and quickly became the “go-to” drummer for local bands, including the Kootenays’ most popular dance band of those years — No Excuse (with dynamic frontman and phenomenal singer, Randy Eastwood and the Turner brothers, Kenny and Dennis). The band went on to include other well-known Kootenay musicians including Don Stewart, J. Greg Walter, Rick Lingard, Cliff Maddix, Laura Landsberg, Bo Conlon, John Cullen, Keith Kemp and others.
He was also in the Kootenays’ original party band, Albert Fick — with Denis Gunn and John Cullen — and played in a power trio in Nelson with J. Greg and Bobby Stewart and with various other configurations of musicians including, Chris Lingard, Pauline Lamb, Glennn Mitchell, Cliff Maddix, Don Stewart, Dave Scanlan, Clinton Swanson, Marty Hamilton, Karli Harrison and KC and The Elderberries. Bill also played occasionally with Dr. Fun and the Night Crawlers and was a fixture at the annual Silverton Winter Blues Boogie for years. In 2005 he played on the Holly Hyatt and Jon Burden album, Big Wind On The Way and opened for the legendary Leon Russell. He played the Kaslo Jazz Fest a number of times over the years and would also back up Texas blues man, Sonny Rhodes when Sonny first came to town. He was great friends with Sonny's bass player, Country Pete McGill, and they would share many late-night stories about growing up in the South.
Bill Wilson, later went on to play in the Russell Jackson Band (BB Kings one time bassist) and he spent the last part of his musical career playing with Johnny Tornado and The Stormriders but the musician he had the longest musical relationship with was bassist, Kenny Turner. Bill and Kenny played together for years in different bands, most notably – No Excuse. They had great respect for each other and were totally joined at the hip musically, becoming the tightest rhythm section around, as anyone who played with them, or heard them play will attest.
Fellow musicians, friends and folks who knew Bill will gather together to celebrate the life and legacy of Bill Wilson on Sunday, August 16 between 1 P.M. and 10 P.M. at The Lobby Grill, Slocan City Hotel in Slocan, BC.
The Blues Society had our Annual General Meeting on Saturday, March 21 @ 2 PM at Finley's. Members and non members were welcome to come and check it out and see what we have been up to and what we have planned. It was a good turnout and thank you for coming. We would like to welcome Don Walker to the Board of Directors.
Thanks to all who came out and supported the 12th annual Blues, Brews and BBQ in March. Great fun was had by all! We were able to donate some funds to Kootenay Co op Radio and help fund two local music programs. Trafalger Middle School and Mt. Sentinel Secondary.
"Sue Foley—one of our greatest living female blues guitarists—turned in a five-star performance at Nelson’s Capitol Theatre the evening of September 28/ 2025. She opened with a solo acoustic set on Spanish guitar, performing blues, country and flamenco selections from her Grammy-nominated One Guitar Woman (2024), followed by a hard-driving set with her three-piece electric combo". Sean Arthur Joyce. Read the rest of the review by hitting the review button below.
Sue Foley and band at the Capitol theatre in Nelson. Photo's by Sean Arthur Joyce.
